After more than half a century of go-karts, mini-golf and roller-skating nights, Fiesta Village Family Fun Park in Colton is taking its final bow. The family-run spot will open to the public one last time on July 10 and 11, closing out a 52-year run that has long made it a go-to hangout for Inland Empire families. Owners and longtime staff have called the decision heartbreaking but say it ultimately could not be avoided.
In a farewell message on the official Fiesta Village site, owners Michelle and Patrick O’Brien thank generations of guests and invite the community to “come play one last time” during the final public weekend. The announcement notes that the park will be closed on July 12 for a private event and may host a small number of private bookings afterward. It also names members of the management team and encourages locals to share their memories as the park winds down operations.
Owners point to higher costs and fewer visitors
Michelle O’Brien told SFGATE that “the economics of the amusement park industry” and steadily slowing attendance made it impossible to keep the park open. Regional coverage and park leaders have pointed to rising operating expenses and stiff competition from bigger Southern California attractions as key pressures, according to the L.A. Times.
Final weekend hours and what stays open
The park’s posted schedule lists Friday, July 10, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, July 11, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., as the final public operating hours. According to the hours page on Fiesta Village, rides, the arcade and batting cages will continue to run as long as staffing and supplies allow during the last weekend.
One piece of the property will live on. Longtime on-site eatery Nickelodeon Pizza plans to keep serving customers independently of the park’s closure, per Nickelodeon Pizza.
Staff, visitors and a send-off
The shutdown affects about 25 current employees, a fraction of the workforce the park maintained during its busier years. At its peak, Fiesta Village could draw as many as a few thousand guests on a weekend, according to reporting by NBC Los Angeles. Before deciding to close, the owners told reporters they had tried to find a buyer for the business. Staff were given a more intimate goodbye with a send-off that included a time capsule and a shared lunch, details described by SFGATE.
For many Inland Empire residents, Fiesta Village was where teenagers got their first jobs and families threw affordable birthday parties. Its closure highlights the growing squeeze on smaller, regional amusement parks facing high costs and heavyweight competitors. The owners say they hope pieces of the park will find new homes with fans, while the long-term future of the site and any redevelopment plans remain unsettled, according to the L.A. Times.
